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Written Answers to Questions
Friday 11 June 1993
LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT
Departmental Buildings
Mr. Llwyd : To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will list the buildings currently owned or rented by his Department, together with (a) the estimated value, (b) the annual rent and (c) the annual maintenance cost of each building in the current financial year.
Mr. John M. Taylor : On 1 April 1993, the Lord Chancellor's Department occupied some 512 buildings. These comprise :
Departmental Common User Estate<1> Estate<2> Freehold |Leasehold|Freehold |Leasehold -------------------------------------------------- 138 |95 |72 |207 <1> Departmental Estate: LCD has full responsibility for maintenance of these buildings and meeting the terms and conditions of any leaseholds, including payment of rent to landlords. <2> Common User Estate: The responsibility for meeting the terms and conditions of any leaseholds, including payment of rent to landlords, is with Property Holdings. LCD has some maintenance liability but the extent of this will vary according to the maintenance option appropriate to each building.
Due to the substantial number of buildings occupied, these have not been listed, but a full list is available should the hon. Member require it.
Estimated value is not available. To carry out a full valuation would incur disproportionate costs. In common with most other Government Departments, my Department is required to pay annually the full opportunity cost rent to Property Holdings for all properties except those held leasehold on the departmental estate. For the latter, the actual rent due under the terms of the lease is paid direct to landlords. If this is lower than the opportunity cost rent, the balance is payable to Property Holdings. This ensures that we are fully aware of the estimated current market rent of all accommodation occupied. In 1993-94, our opportunity cost rent and actual liability is expected to be some £76 million. We also expect to spend some £11 million on maintaining our estate.
EDUCATION
School Meals
Mr. Wicks : To ask the Secretary of State for Education what was the level of public expenditure on the school meal service in each year since 1979 in cash and real terms.
Mr. Forth : Expenditure on school meals by local education authorities in England is given in the table.
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LEA expenditure on school meals 1979-80-1991-92
|Expenditure |Expenditure
|(Cash) |(1992-93 prices)
|(£ million) |(£ million)
--------------------------------------------------------------------
1979-80 |422 |1,012
1980-81 |397 |804
1981-82 |396 |732
1982-83 |411 |709
1983-84 |426 |702
1984-85 |428 |671
1985-86 |436 |649
1986-87 |457 |659
1987-88 |443 |605
1988-89 |376 |479
1989-90 |379 |453
1990-91 |384 |425
1991-92 |407 |421
Ms Ruddock : To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will publish a table showing the latest figures for the number and proportion of children receiving school meals broken down into (a) paid and (b) free in each region of England.
Mr. Forth : The information requested is shown in the table.
School meal arrangements of day-pupils in maintained schools in the
regions of England-January 1992
Pupils taking As a percentage
school meals of day-pupils on
roll
Region |Free |Paid |Free |Paid
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
North |88,783 |175,948 |18 |35
Yorkshire and Humberside |120,243 |270,394 |15 |35
North West |191,352 |297,469 |19 |29
East Midlands |68,415 |185,960 |11 |30
West Midlands |133,311 |230,581 |16 |28
East Anglia |27,657 |71,976 |9 |25
Greater London |169,787 |242,166 |18 |26
Other South East |134,528 |398,334 |9 |27
South West |68,272 |154,970 |11 |24
England |1,001,968|2,027,798|14 |28
Drug and Alcohol Advisers
Mr. Hall : To ask the Secretary of State for Education (1) how many health education co-ordinators advising on drugs and alcohol have been funded by his Department in Cheshire since 1979 ;
(2) how many health education co-ordinators advising on drugs and alcohol have been funded by his Department in the whole of the United Kingdom since 1979.
Mr. Forth : The Department made education support grant to local education authorities in England for drug education from 1986-87 to 1989- 90, and for preventive health education from 1990-91 to 1992-93. During that seven-year period, most LEAs, including Cheshire, used the grant to employ at least one drug or health education co-ordinator.
Expenditure
Sir Rhodes Boyson : To ask the Secretary of State for Education what was the total amount of expenditure on services within the responsibility of his Department in (a) England, (b) Greater London and (c) the south- east,
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excluding Greater London, for each year since 1982-83 and his estimate for 1992-93, distinguishing between current and capital expenditure and excluding local authority credit approvals/capital allocations.Mr. Forth : The information is not wholly available in the form requested. For part (a) , table A gives details of central and local government expenditure on education in England since 1982-83. For parts (b) and (c) , figures are readily available for local authority expenditure by region only from 1989-90 : these are shown in table B. It is not possible to estimate the proportion of central Government expenditure relating to these regions.
Table B
Total local authority expenditure on education (£ million) (
cash)
Greater London<2> South East
(excluding Greater
London)
|Recurrent|Capital |Recurrent|Capital
-------------------------------------------------------------
1989-90 |2,576 |195 |3,082 |199
1990-91 |2,713 |192 |3,415 |177
1991-92<1> |3,049 |143 |3,873 |167
Notes to Table B
<1> Figures for recurrent are net recurrent expenditure,
which includes total expenditure other than capital
financing charges, less income other than from Government
grants. Figures are drawn from local authority revenue
outturn reports and therefore those for 1991-92 are not
directly comparable with the corresponding figures in Table
A.
<2> "Greater London" consists of the 13 inner London LEAs (
ILEA for 1989-90) and the 20 outer London LEAs. "South East"
consists of Bedfordshire, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, East
Sussex, Essex, Hampshire, Hertfordshire, Isle of Wight, Kent,
Oxfordshire, Surrey and West Sussex LEAs.
Table B
Total local authority expenditure on education (£ million) (
cash)
Greater London<2> South East
(excluding Greater
London)
|Recurrent|Capital |Recurrent|Capital
-------------------------------------------------------------
1989-90 |2,576 |195 |3,082 |199
1990-91 |2,713 |192 |3,415 |177
1991-92<1> |3,049 |143 |3,873 |167
Notes to Table B
<1> Figures for recurrent are net recurrent expenditure,
which includes total expenditure other than capital
financing charges, less income other than from Government
grants. Figures are drawn from local authority revenue
outturn reports and therefore those for 1991-92 are not
directly comparable with the corresponding figures in Table
A.
<2> "Greater London" consists of the 13 inner London LEAs (
ILEA for 1989-90) and the 20 outer London LEAs. "South East"
consists of Bedfordshire, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, East
Sussex, Essex, Hampshire, Hertfordshire, Isle of Wight, Kent,
Oxfordshire, Surrey and West Sussex LEAs.
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Education Authority Staff
Mr. Beggs : To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many (a) officers and (b) other persons are employed by each education authority in England and Wales.
Mr. Forth [pursuant to his reply, 8 June 1993, c. 206.] : Tables showing the number of teachers and lecturers and of other staff employed in the education service of each local authority have been placed in the Library. These have been compiled by the Local Government Management Board from the March 1992 joint staffing watch return, and cover all staff in the LEA-maintained nursery, primary and secondary schools sector, special and further education, and central administration.
WALES
Welsh Language Board
Mr. Morgan : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will give the terms of reference, remuneration, length of appointment and working hours of the chairman-designate of the Welsh Language Board.
Sir Wyn Roberts : Subject to Parliament's approval of the Welsh Language Bill, Lord Elis-Thomas will be appointed chairman for a three-year term beginning on the date on which the board is established. His work as chairman will involve a time commitment of two days a week and remuneration of £20,544. I will, in due course, issue the board and its chairman with broad strategic guidance based on the framework which the Welsh Language Bill establishes.
Urban Investment Grant
Mr. Morgan : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list all projects in receipt of urban investment grant in each of the past eight quarterly periods, the amount of grant given and the value of the development, the estimated jobs to be created and the business names and addresses of the companies making the application.
Mr. Redwood : A list of all projects in receipt of urban investment grant in the last eight quarterly periods and the amount of grant given is set out in table 1, together with a list in table 2 giving the name of the developer, total amount of grant approved, private sector investment and estimated jobs to be created. The addresses of the applicants have not been included, as it is not the Department's policy to divulge such information.
Table 2
|Grant |Private investment |Forecast permanent
Project |Developer |£ million |£ million |jobs
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Foundry road, Hirwaun |Eastbrook Developments |0.250 |1.668 |-
Mount street, Bangor |Llanrhos Property Company Ltd. |0.066 |0.343 |-
Rhondda Heritage Park Hotel, Trehafod |Celtic Bay Hotels Ltd. |0.625 |1.710 |35
Capel Bethleham |Bailey Homes plc |0.220 |1.853 |-
Ystrad road, Pentre |Checkdial Ltd. |0.150 |0.323 |45
Tredegar town centre |Amodeo Scott Development Company Ltd. |3.500 |6.860 |136
Brynteg Chapel, Abertillery |Quality Property Development Company Ltd.|0.025 |0.170 |-
Helliwell's Factory, Aberdare |Barry Dock Marine Services Ltd. |0.400 |1.538 |500
Mill street, Tonyrefail |Corlan Housing Association |0.075 |0.396 |-
Oaklands Business Park, Ferndale |Berkley and Hay Hill plc |0.940 |1.475 |214
Wenallt park, Treharris |Luteteam Ltd. |0.077 |0.567 |-
Goat Mill road, Dowlais |Breamvalley Estates Ltd. |0.315 |0.745 |60
Cross street, Treharris |Arrow Builders |0.130 |1.066 |-
Quay West, Swansea |Quay Parade Ltd. |0.500 |4.440 |150
St. David's Church, Aberdare |Davies Brothers |0.043 |0.140 |15
Llewellyn's Quay, Port Talbot |Comfort House Investments Ltd. |0.175 |0.682 |120
Old Bus Station, Merthyr Tydfil |Redrow Homes (South Wales) Ltd. |0.250 |2.912 |-
Warwill's Foundry, Abertillery |Hawkswood Properties Ltd. |0.150 |1.319 |80
Cardiff road, Aberaman Beazer Urban Developments (Wales and West) 0.328 1.614 -
Clase road, Morriston |Castle Leisure Ltd. |0.200 |2.392 |80
Cromwell Service Station, Newport |Sinclair Garages |0.245 |1.052 |33
King Street, Mold |MPH (North Wales) Ltd. |0.070 |0.383 |16
Gelliwastad Grove, Pontypridd
Investments Ltd. |0.130 |0.303 |58
Blaenant Business Park |Short Brothers |0.025 |0.158 |16
Letchworth road, Ebbw Vale |Barakat Property Developers |0.084 |1.172 |-
Harold Wilson Industrial Estate, Caerphilly |G. A. Spacey (Management Services) Ltd. |0.136 |0.545 |50
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Table 2
|Grant |Private investment |Forecast permanent
Project |Developer |£ million |£ million |jobs
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Foundry road, Hirwaun |Eastbrook Developments |0.250 |1.668 |-
Mount street, Bangor |Llanrhos Property Company Ltd. |0.066 |0.343 |-
Rhondda Heritage Park Hotel, Trehafod |Celtic Bay Hotels Ltd. |0.625 |1.710 |35
Capel Bethleham |Bailey Homes plc |0.220 |1.853 |-
Ystrad road, Pentre |Checkdial Ltd. |0.150 |0.323 |45
Tredegar town centre |Amodeo Scott Development Company Ltd. |3.500 |6.860 |136
Brynteg Chapel, Abertillery |Quality Property Development Company Ltd.|0.025 |0.170 |-
Helliwell's Factory, Aberdare |Barry Dock Marine Services Ltd. |0.400 |1.538 |500
Mill street, Tonyrefail |Corlan Housing Association |0.075 |0.396 |-
Oaklands Business Park, Ferndale |Berkley and Hay Hill plc |0.940 |1.475 |214
Wenallt park, Treharris |Luteteam Ltd. |0.077 |0.567 |-
Goat Mill road, Dowlais |Breamvalley Estates Ltd. |0.315 |0.745 |60
Cross street, Treharris |Arrow Builders |0.130 |1.066 |-
Quay West, Swansea |Quay Parade Ltd. |0.500 |4.440 |150
St. David's Church, Aberdare |Davies Brothers |0.043 |0.140 |15
Llewellyn's Quay, Port Talbot |Comfort House Investments Ltd. |0.175 |0.682 |120
Old Bus Station, Merthyr Tydfil |Redrow Homes (South Wales) Ltd. |0.250 |2.912 |-
Warwill's Foundry, Abertillery |Hawkswood Properties Ltd. |0.150 |1.319 |80
Cardiff road, Aberaman Beazer Urban Developments (Wales and West) 0.328 1.614 -
Clase road, Morriston |Castle Leisure Ltd. |0.200 |2.392 |80
Cromwell Service Station, Newport |Sinclair Garages |0.245 |1.052 |33
King Street, Mold |MPH (North Wales) Ltd. |0.070 |0.383 |16
Gelliwastad Grove, Pontypridd
Investments Ltd. |0.130 |0.303 |58
Blaenant Business Park |Short Brothers |0.025 |0.158 |16
Letchworth road, Ebbw Vale |Barakat Property Developers |0.084 |1.172 |-
Harold Wilson Industrial Estate, Caerphilly |G. A. Spacey (Management Services) Ltd. |0.136 |0.545 |50
School Transport
Mr. Win Griffiths : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what plans he has to review safety practices for school transport.
Sir Wyn Roberts : It is the responsibility of school authorities to satisfy themselves that the school transport operatives with whom they contract maintain and operate
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their vehicles safely. Nevertheless, the Government are concerned to improve the safety of children travelling on school transport and continually seeks ways to ensure their safety. In particular, regulations are to be introduced shortly to require certain buses, carrying children to and from school, to display a distinctive warning sign. In addition, the Government are pressing the European Community to require seat belts to be fitted to all seats on new coaches and minibuses.Column 349
SOCIAL SECURITY
Child Support
Mr. Barry Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many maintenance assessment forms have been issued by the Child Support Agency since5 April ; how many completed forms have been returned to the agency ; and how many maintenance assessments have been calculated and put into operation.
Mr. Burt : The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for Mrs. Ros Hepplewhite, the chief executive. She will write to the hon. Member and a copy will be placed in the Library. Letter from Ros Hepplewhite to Mr. Barry Jones, dated 10 June 1993 :
As Chief Executive of the Child Support Agency it is my responsibility to answer questions about relevant operational matters. I am therefore replying to your recent Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security asking how many maintenance assessment forms have been issued by the Agency since 5 April, how many completed forms have been returned to the Agency and how many maintenance assessments have been calculated and put into action.
It is as yet very early days in the setting up of the Agency but we do have reliable figures for the month of April which, allowing for the Easter break, covered the Agency's first 17 working days. For that period, from 5 April to 30 April, more than 45,000 Maintenance Application Forms were issued and over 19,000 completed forms were returned. Twenty-five maintenance assessments were calculated and the parents notified.
The process of assessing maintenance under the Child Support Act of its nature takes some time, as it involves first the parent with care completing a form (the Maintenance Assessment Form) to enable the absent parent to be traced and sent a second form (the Maintenance Enquiry Form) for completion. Both forms need to be checked for accuracy before a computer assessment can be made.
In a straightforward case, when both parents reply quickly and fully and supply all the necessary information, we have estimated that it will take 6 -8 weeks from the date of application to assess the maintenance which is payable. Many cases are not straightforward, however, and further enquiries are necessary from either or both parents. This lengthens clearance times but I am confident the Agency has got off to a successful start.
I hope this reply is useful. It will be published in the Official Record and a copy placed in the Library.
Social Security Tribunal
Mr. Austin-Walker : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will give his reasons for exercising his power under regulation 37 of the Social Security (Claims and Payments) Regulations 1987 not to carry out a decision of the social security tribunal in the case of a Woolwich constituent, NI. No. NA 46 48 05 A.
Mr. Burt : The administration of family credit is a matter for Mr. Michael Bichard the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member and a copy will be placed in the Library. Letter from Michael Bichard to Mr. John Austin-Walker, dated 11 June 1993 :
As Chief Executive of the Benefits Agency it is my responsibility to answer questions about relevant operational matters. I am therefore replying to your recent Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security asking
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if he will give his reasons for exercising his power under Regulation 37 of the Social Security (Claims and Payments) Regulations 1987 not to carry out a decision of the Social Security Tribunal in the case of a Woolwich constituent, NI No. NA 46 48 05 A.As you will be aware, your constituent made a claim to Family Credit on 25 February 1992 which was subsequently disallowed by the Adjudication Officer, and was the subject of three independent tribunal hearings between 29 July 1992 and 7 April 1993 ; the result of which was that the Tribunal ruled that your constituent was to be treated as an agent of the Post Office. This was contrary to a Commissioner's Decision (RFC 1/93) which ruled that sub-postmasters are to be treated as employees of the Post Office. The Adjudication Officer considered that the Tribunal had erred in law by not taking account of the Commissioner's decision and therefore exercised his right under Regulation 37 of the Social Security (Claims and Payments) Regulations 1987 by seeking further advice from the office of the Central Adjudication Services with a view to ascertaining if any aspects of the Tribunal decision could give rise to a further appeal to the Commissioner. In this case however, the Central Adjudication Services (CAS) considered that the Tribunal had erred in law, but that the circumstances of the case were the same as the existing Commissioner's Decision and there was therefore no need to seek further leave to appeal, and the Tribunal decision is to be implemented. I shall write to you separately and in greater detail about this matter.
I hope you find this reply helpful. A copy will appear in the Official Report and a copy will also be placed in the Library.
Disability Working Allowance
Mr. Bradley : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) if he will provide a breakdown by number and percentage of the total number of (a) initial and (b) renewal claims for disability working allowance received by his Department that were refused on the grounds that (i) the claimant was not in remunerative work, (ii) the claimant's income was above the limit, (iii) the claimant was not in receipt of a qualifying benefit, (iv) the claimant was receiving family credit, (v) the joint income of the claimant and his or her partner exceeded the limit, (vi) the claimant was working less than 16 hours a week and (vii) for other reasons ;
(2) how many people are currently getting the disability working allowance ; and if he will break this total down by (a) average age, (b) sex, (c) marital status, (d) average hourly earnings, (e) average hours worked, (f) householder status and (g) qualifying benefit.
Mr. Scott : The administration of disability working allowance is a matter for Mr. Michael Bichard, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member and a copy will be placed in the Library.
Letter from Michael Bichard to Mr. Keith Bradley, dated 11 June 1993 :
As Chief Executive of the Benefits Agency it is my responsibility to answer questions about relevant operational matters. I am therefore replying to your recent Parliamentary Questions to the Secretary of State for Social Security asking (1) if he will provide a breakdown by number and percentage of the total number of (a) initial and (b) renewal claims for disability working allowance received by his Department that were refused on the grounds that (i) the claimant was not in remunerative work, (ii) the claimant's income was above the limit, (iii) the claimant was not in receipt of a qualifying benefit, (iv) the claimant was receiving family credit, (v) the joint income of the claimant and his or her partner exceeded the limit, (vi) the claimant was working less than 16 hours a week and (vii) for other reasons ; and (2) how many people are currently getting the disability working allowance ; and if he
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will break this total down by (a) average age, (b) sex, (c) marital status, (d) average hourly earnings, (e) average hours worked, (f) householder status and (g) qualifying benefit. In answer to your first question the majority of the information is routinely placed in the Library with the exception of that relating to persons receiving Family Credit (FC) which is detailed below.
|Total of disallowed|Number disallowed
|applications to |because customer
|Disability Working |receiving Family
|Allowance (DWA) |Credit (FC)
|expressed as
|percentage of total
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
New claims |21,375 |583 (2.7)
Renewals |325 |0
Others |938 |11 (1.2)
All figures are as at 26 March 1993.
In answer to your second question the information is as follows with the exception of householder status which is not routinely recorded.
* Average age=37
* Sex (i) Male=1,557, (ii) Female=1,150
* Marital Status (i) Couples=1,048, (ii) Single =1,659
* Average hourly earnings=£2.84
* Average hours worked=29
* Qualifying Benefit :
Higher Rate Disability Living Allowance (DLA)/ Analogous Benefits=1,508
Lower Rate DLA=359
Invalidity Benefit=446
Severe Disablement Allowance=146
Disability Premium in Income Support=196
Disability Premium in Housing Benefit=13
Disability Premium in Community Charge Benefit=39
All cases=2,707
All figures are as at 30 April 1993.
I hope you find this reply helpful. A copy will appear in the Official Report and a copy will also be placed in the Library.
Mr. Bradley : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) how many staff have been allocated to the home visiting service ; and how many home visits have been made to date by Benefits Agency staff in connection with claims for disability living allowance or attendance allowance received on or after 3 February 1992 by each disability benefit centre and in total ;
(2) how many people who claimed disability living allowance or attendance allowance on or after 3 February 1992 had still not heard the outcome of their claim by 1 April.
Mr. Scott : The administration of disability living allowance and attendance allowance is a matter for Mr. Michael Bichard, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member and a copy will be placed in the Library.
Letter from Michael Bichard to Mr. Keith Bradley, dated 11 June 1993 :
As Chief Executive of the Benefits Agency, it is my responsibility to answer questions about relevant operational matters. I am therefore replying to the points raised in your recent Parliamentary Questions to the Secretary of State for Social Security asking (i) how many staff have been allocated to the Home Visiting Service ; and how many visits have been made to date by Benefits Agency staff in connection with claims for disability living allowance or attendance allowance received on or after 3 February 1992 by each disability benefit centre and in total, and (ii) how many people who claimed disability living allowance or attendance allowance on or after the 3 February had still not heard the outcome of their claim by 1 April.
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Firstly, I should explain that the staff on the Customer Service Sections in the Disability Benefit Centres (DBCs) are involved in general duties to help customers, including forms completion work for both benefits. This may involve telephoning the customer to help in completing a claim form or it may involve a visit. Currently there are around 170 staff working on the Customer Service sections in the DBCs. Since February 1992 to date 5,085 home visits have been made to assist in the completion of claim forms. We are unable to provide a breakdown between DLA and AA65 . The breakdown between DBCs is shown in Annex 1.The number of DLA and AA claims outstanding at 31 March 1993 is shown below. This information also includes special Rules claims. I have also included the number of DLA and AA claims outstanding at 31 May 1993, which you may find helpful.
School meals service
Northern Ireland
Proportion of pupils receiving school meals in the primary, secondary and special sector
Primary Secondary Special
(including nursery) (including grammar)
|Pupils present |Pupils taking meals|Paid pupil meals |Free pupil meals |Pupils present |Pupils taking meals|Paid pupil meals |Free pupil meals |Pupils present |Pupils taking meals|Paid pupil meals |Free pupil meals
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1987-88 |176,578 |50 |34 |66 |137,480 |49 |47 |53 |3,375 |96 |0 |100
1988-89 |178,409 |44 |45 |55 |136,918 |48 |60 |40 |3,286 |99 |0 |100
1989-90 |179,853 |45 |45 |55 |135,163 |48 |61 |39 |3,400 |100 |0 |100
1990-91 |178,999 |50 |47 |53 |132,525 |50 |62 |38 |3,568 |99 |0 |100
1991-92 |178,786 |50 |46 |54 |133,847 |51 |58 |42 |3,709 |99 |0 |100
<1> Proportion taking meals.
<2> Percentage of pupils taking meals.
I hope you will find this reply helpful. A copy of this letter will appear in the Official Report. A copy will also be placed in the Library.
School meals service
Northern Ireland
Proportion of pupils receiving school meals in the primary, secondary and special sector
Primary Secondary Special
(including nursery) (including grammar)
|Pupils present |Pupils taking meals|Paid pupil meals |Free pupil meals |Pupils present |Pupils taking meals|Paid pupil meals |Free pupil meals |Pupils present |Pupils taking meals|Paid pupil meals |Free pupil meals
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1987-88 |176,578 |50 |34 |66 |137,480 |49 |47 |53 |3,375 |96 |0 |100
1988-89 |178,409 |44 |45 |55 |136,918 |48 |60 |40 |3,286 |99 |0 |100
1989-90 |179,853 |45 |45 |55 |135,163 |48 |61 |39 |3,400 |100 |0 |100
1990-91 |178,999 |50 |47 |53 |132,525 |50 |62 |38 |3,568 |99 |0 |100
1991-92 |178,786 |50 |46 |54 |133,847 |51 |58 |42 |3,709 |99 |0 |100
<1> Proportion taking meals.
<2> Percentage of pupils taking meals.
Occupational Pensions
Sir Ivan Lawrence : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the average value of an occupational pension in 1979 and in the latest year for which figures are available.
Mr. Hague : It is estimated that, at 1989 prices, the average value of occupational pensions was, £37.50 per week in 1979, and £55 per week in 1989, the latest year for which figures are available. The estimates are based on the 1979 and 1989 family expenditure surveys.
Family Credit
Mr. Wallace : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what progress is being made with the review of the provisions governing family credit ts report on the assessment of self-employed earnings for the purpose of family credit claims in the summer.
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NORTHERN IRELAND
Population Statistics
Mr. Barnes : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the latest estimates of those aged 17 years and over, plus 63 per cent. of those aged 16 years and over, for each district council area and parliamentary
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constituency, together in each case with the equivalent year's electoral registration figures, also expressed as a percentage of these population figures.Mr. Ancram : The information requested, in respect of district council areas, is set out in the table. Final mid-year population estimates for 1991 and 1992 will be available in the autumn. Mid-year population estimates provide information only to district council level. It is not possible to provide corresponding information at parliamentary constituency level.
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District Council |Column 1 Estimated |Column 2 Registered|Column 2 as a
area |population aged 17 |electors<2> |percentage of
|and over plus 63 |Column 1
|per cent. of 16
|year olds<1>
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Antrim |33,559 |30,227 |90.1
Ards |49,489 |49,089 |99.2
Armagh |37,242 |36,222 |97.3
Ballymena |42,833 |42,091 |98.3
Ballymoney |17,897 |17,610 |98.4
Banbridge |24,910 |24,891 |99.9
Belfast |218,276 |209,126 |95.8
Carrickfergus |25,131 |24,527 |97.6
Castlereagh |45,241 |47,505 |105.0
Coleraine |38,757 |37,138 |95.8
Cookstown |21,628 |21,637 |100.0
Craigavon |55,330 |54,520 |98.5
Derry |66,013 |63,309 |95.9
Down |42,460 |40,656 |95.8
Dungannon |31,986 |32,354 |101.2
Fermanagh |39,121 |39,112 |99.9
Larne |22,769 |22,318 |98.0
Limavedy |20,903 |19,282 |92.2
Lisburn |73,949 |69,472 |93.4
Magherafelt |25,477 |25,611 |100.5
Moyle |10,822 |10,509 |97.1
Newry and Mourne |58,212 |58,207 |99.9
Newtownabbey |56,638 |55,155 |97.4
North Down |56,257 |54,464 |96.8
Omagh |32,430 |30,973 |95.5
Strabane |25,044 |25,319 |101.1
|---------- |---------- |------
Total |1,172,374 |1,141,324 |97.4
<1> Derived from provisional 1991 mid-year estimates.
<2> 1992-93 Register, qualifying date 15 September 1991.
Rural Schools
Mr. Maginnis : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will refer to the Department of Education in Northern Ireland and to education and library boards the research review, "Small Rural Primary Schools", which was commissioned by the Rural Development Council ; and if the Department of Education, Northern Ireland will be making a formal and considered response.
Mr. Ancram : Copies of the report have been received by the Department and by the education and library boards. The Department is examining the report and will take it into account as part of its wider review of the pattern of school provision.
School Pupils
Mr. John D. Taylor : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) how many pupils are at each of (a) the primary and (b) the secondary schools in the
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constituency of Newry and Armagh in (i) the maintained, (ii) the controlled and (iii) the integrated sectors of education in respect of the year 1992-93 ;(2) how many pupils are at each of (a) the primary and (b) the secondary schools in the constituency of Strangford in (i) the maintained, (ii) the controlled and (iii) the integrated sectors of education in respect of the year 1992-93.
Mr. Ancram : I refer the right hon. Gentleman to my letter to him dated 4 June 1993 which contains the latest information available on schools enrolments in these two constituencies.
School Meals
Ms Ruddock : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will publish a table showing the number and proportion of children receiving school meals broken down into (a) paid and (b) free in (i) primary schools, (ii) secondary schools and (iii) special schools in each year since 1987-88.
Mr. Ancram : The information is set out in the table.
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School meals service
Northern Ireland
Proportion of pupils receiving school meals in the primary, secondary and special sector
Primary Secondary Special
(including nursery) (including grammar)
|Pupils present |Pupils taking meals|Paid pupil meals |Free pupil meals |Pupils present |Pupils taking meals|Paid pupil meals |Free pupil meals |Pupils present |Pupils taking meals|Paid pupil meals |Free pupil meals
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1987-88 |176,578 |50 |34 |66 |137,480 |49 |47 |53 |3,375 |96 |0 |100
1988-89 |178,409 |44 |45 |55 |136,918 |48 |60 |40 |3,286 |99 |0 |100
1989-90 |179,853 |45 |45 |55 |135,163 |48 |61 |39 |3,400 |100 |0 |100
1990-91 |178,999 |50 |47 |53 |132,525 |50 |62 |38 |3,568 |99 |0 |100
1991-92 |178,786 |50 |46 |54 |133,847 |51 |58 |42 |3,709 |99 |0 |100
<1> Proportion taking meals.
<2> Percentage of pupils taking meals.
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Table file CW930611.012 not available
Northern Ireland Electricity
Mr. Hain : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) if he will give global figures for the cost of the flotation of Northern Ireland Electricity ; and if he will make a statement ; (2) how much the Department of Economic Development spent on privatising Northern Ireland Electricity.
Mr. Atkins : The cost of the flotation of Northern Ireland Electricity will be reported to Parliament in the usual way once the sale is complete.
ENVIRONMENT
Social Housing
Mr. Dafis : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will establish a working group to investigate the potential for channelling further private finance into social housing projects and the monitoring of such investment.
Mr. Baldry : Making use of private finance is an important element in our housing programmes. Our objective has been to increase the proportion of private funding in order to obtain the maximum benefit from the public resources available. For example, housing associations, which are the main providers of new social housing, are required to raise part of their development funds from the private rented sector. Around £2.5 million in private finance has been raised by housing associations since 1988 ; and it is hoped that a further £3 billion will be raised over the four years from 1992-93. In addition, some £1.5 billion of private finance has been raised as a result of the large scale transfer of local authority properties to housing associations. This finance
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is being used to improve existing stock, to repay debt, and to develop new social housing. Other programmes, such as estate action, housing action trusts and city challenge, aim to foster public and private co-operation in the regeneration of urban areas.We continue to encourage investment in the rented sector and to consider how to maximise the use of private sector funding and expertise in meeting housing need.
City Challenge
Mr. Corbett : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what consideration he has given to enabling winners of city challenge to spend their allocated total budget over five years according to need and the progress of schemes rather than in five equal annual amounts.
Mr. Baldry : City challenge expenditure is subject to the annuality rules applied to all funds voted by Parliament under the Appropriation Act.
The Department makes every effort to manage city challenge resources flexibly to accommodate the difficulties that may be faced by partnerships in matching progress on the ground exactly to their annual £7.5 million funding allocations. Reserve programmes are approved annually in order to accommodate slippage. Underspends which emerge in the year are offset wherever possible by expediting programmes in other city challenge areas. We are considering whether further flexibility is possible.
Ordnance Survey
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will list by location the Ordnance Survey triangulation pillars that are still waiting to be adopted ;
(2) what criteria he has laid down before organisations and members of the public can adopt Ordnance Survey
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